LinkedIn – 6 Key Features To Build Your Success Network

“Your network is your net worth”. – Porter Gale

There has been so much hype about using Facebook and Instagram to build your circle of friends but how about LinkedIn? You must be thinking, “Isn’t it the same”? Well, not exactly. Like Facebook, Instagram,Twitter and many others, LinkedIn is a social networking platform. 

The only big difference is that whereas the former are used for mostly social and professional purposes, the latter is strictly used for professional purposes though there are some friendships that are forged through connections. 

LinkedIn is designed to help people make business connections, share their experiences, knowledge and resumes as well as find jobs. Like Facebook, one can write, share, like or support posts and articles, make connections with friends and instant message people etc. 

Your profile picture and sections serve as a resume where potential employers and other business people can view your experiences, skills and knowledge. You can even have referrals and recommendations from colleagues or clients. These endorsements become official recognition of your skills and persona in the industry.

As of 2020, 756 million users are using LinkedIn as a platform to build their business network and for advertising needs especially during the pandemic. Compared to Facebook who has 2.85 billion users, 

However, LinkedIn is still not widely used or understood by many regarding its features or the benefits it can bring to their network or business. Does this sound mind boggling? Fret not, let me break it down to you in simple terms. Today, we are going to talk about the key features of LinkedIn and what you can do with them.

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Here are 6 key features of LinkedIn: 

1. Home

The home page is similar to Facebook’s news feed. Here you can see current posts made by other users, the posts they like or their comments and companies or topics you follow. It can also be customized to include relevant articles according to your preferences. You can also create your own posts which others can see, like, share, and comment on. 

2. My Network

This section is where you can see your current network of connections and can search for LinkedIn users to invite to join your network just like sending friend requests on Facebook. The best part is you can even filter by industry, education, location, language and even second or third degree connections. You can also see invites from other users and you will also find connection suggestions based on existing network, location and industry. 

3. Jobs

There is a comprehensive jobs board. You can search for your preferred jobs and apply as well as find out more information about companies you are interested in. You can set up preferences and notifications so you will receive emails when there are new job postings. Job recommendations will also be made based on information including the keyword and location found in your profile.

4. Messaging

This is an instant messaging platform which you can use to chat with people in your network. You can also send messages to people you are not connected to with InMail. However, this option is only available to LinkedIn Premium account users. When someone sends you messages, you will receive an email notification.

5. Notifications

As its name suggests, whenever a person, company or topic you follow has new post activity – notifications will appear. Like other social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, you will also receive notifications when you have been mentioned, added or referenced. The same applies when you receive a connection request. Notifications will also appear when your network is having his/ her birthday or when he/ she has moved into a new role.  

6. Me

This is where you can find your profile, which is similar to a resume. You can fill in important information such as your education, work experience, skill sets, accomplishments and current location. The sections within your profile can be customized by adding an opening statement or summary to give a more detailed and accurate representation of yourself. It should always be updated as many recruiters and professional connections will be looking at your profile.

Now that we have shared the basic know-how on navigating LinkedIn, we hope it gives newbies a head start on creating an account and building their professional network. As for the more experienced users, we hope it gives you a better idea on the features and added advantage in expanding your network. 

When you have a great network, you get to learn from various professionals and understand even more, not only about other industries and individuals but also about yourself. LinkedIn has proved itself to be a friendly exchange of values, ideas, knowledge and skills. As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

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